--- title: "Toyota RAV4-Based Truck Is ‘Quite Appealing’ Top Engineer Says: TDS" description: "Good morning and welcome to *[The Downshift]()*, or *TDS* for short, *The Drive*'s morning news roundup that gathers all the latest automotive headlines from around the globe and puts them in one place." date: "2026-06-23" modified: "2026-06-23" authors: - name: "Joel Feder" job_title: "Director of Content and Product" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/joel-feder" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/toyota-rav4-based-truck-is-quite-appealing-top-engineer-says-tds" categories: - "News" - "The Downshift" --- # Toyota RAV4-Based Truck Is ‘Quite Appealing’ Top Engineer Says: TDS ![Toyota RAV4]() *\Caleb Jacobs\* Good morning and welcome to *[The Downshift]()*, or *TDS* for short, *The Drive*'s morning news roundup that gathers all the latest automotive headlines from around the globe and puts them in one place. *The Downshift* summarizes stories into a single sentence and provides a link for those seeking more information. Here's what's happening on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. 🛻 The [chief engineer of the Toyota RAV4, Yoshinori Futonagane, said]() that while there are "no official plans" for a RAV4-based unibody pickup truck to compete with the Ford Maverick, the idea and market is "quite appealing" and despite no plans at the moment "deep in our heart of hearts, we all think, wouldn't that be fun?" 🕵️‍♀️ Federal safety investigators are [now looking into a fatal crash]() involving a Tesla that drove into a home and killed a woman in Texas. 🤺 Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa [confronted unruly investors]() who attempted a vote of no confidence and even put forth a motion to reinstate former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was ousted after his 2018 arrest on financial misconduct charges. ☠️ Mitsubishi President Keisuke Kishiura is aware that enthusiasts want the automaker to bring back icons such as the Lancer Evolution, Galant, and Diamante; during the automaker's annual shareholder meeting [the executive said](), "Models such as the Lancer Evolution, Diamante, and Galant are extremely important to Mitsubishi, and we consider them treasures. While we do not have any concrete plans to launch these models at this time, we aim to build a company capable of bringing these wonderful cars back to the market in the future so that we can meet your expectations. I will lead the way in this effort, and I would be grateful for the continued support of our shareholders." 🤝 [Roush teased]() a Ram-based performance truck that will debut later this summer. 🏎️ A reborn Ford GT40 isn't even a Ford; the icon returns via South Africa’s [Cape Advanced Vehicles (CAV) as the GT MkII]() with a supercharged 4.2-liter V8 and all-wheel drive. 🔋 Volvo is [bringing plug and charge capability]() to the EX60 and EX90 at over 35,000 fast chargers in the U.S. 💸 Hyundai is [discounting its EVs]() to entice buyers to not pay for gas. 📆 The [Jaguar Type 01 electric GT will debut]() in New York in October. ⛽️ Hyundai is said to be [developing "even more realistic" electric N cars]() with a new EV platform that will do an even better impression of a gas-powered car. 👨‍💻 European automakers are now [pooling their resources to build code]() for software-defined vehicles to try and catch up to, and compete with, China. ✂️ Lucid's new CEO [laid off 18% of the staff]() to "simplify the company" as the automaker struggles with production and bleeds cash. 🏁 The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X [shattered the Pikes Peak Product Car record](). 🚕 [Waymo recalled almost 4,000 self-driving taxis]() because they were driving into construction zones. ⚙️ Ferrari might be preparing to unveil a [supercar with a manual transmission](). *Got a tip? Drop us a line at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Overseeing what you see, read, touch, hear, and interact with from the vast lakes of Minnesota, Joel Feder shapes how The Drive looks and operates as the head of content and product initiatives. On a daily basis, Joel leads the newsroom and editorial staff playing point on both short-term coverage and long-term strategic plans. His mission is to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media by helping the team execute original reporting, breaking news, and exclusive opportunities. Regarded as an industry insider and recognized by colleagues, fellow journalists, and manufacturers as a point-person and leader in the industry, Joel owns and runs the largest automotive professionals group on Facebook in an effort to serve and help others. Joel serves as a juror for the World Car Awards. In addition, he is the board chair and chair of the governance and nominating committee for Move Forward MN, a local non-profit that helps at-risk youth with barrier-free mental health and housing services. While you’re reading this he’s either on his computer or iPhone chasing the latest news or drafting a story. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() [Bluesky]() [Email]()